Amelia Parnell, PhD, and Michael Christakis, PhD, are deeply invested in one another's success. As President/Chief Executive Officer and Board Chair, respectively, of 13,000-member NASPA, they are engaged in a common vision to elevate the organization and thus elevate student affairs leadership across higher education in what are very difficult times. Their work at NASPA, the leading membership association representing student affairs administrators worldwide, is as much about inspiring each other through mutual support and forging connections with others as it is about new ideas and creative strategies.

“Ultimately, it all comes down to relationships," says Christakis, who is also Vice President for Student Affairs & Enrollment at the University of Albany. "I like people to have access to me, and I like to have access to people.” All leaders, he says, are in a position to make time for others if they simply choose to do so. Parnell echoes this sentiment – "Leadership involves lots of relationships" – and adds her commitment to learning, mentorship, and shared success, referencing a guiding principle she inherited: “There’s enough sunshine to go around.” As a leader, she says, one gets a lot of sunshine, or credit, but it's essential to allow others to share in the spotlight. Both leaders stressed the importance of humility, ongoing learning, and creating space for others to thrive.

In this spirited Impactful Leaders Podcast with Jen Meyers Pickard, PhD, Senior Partner and Student Affairs Practice Leader for WittKieffer, Drs. Parnell and Christakis share their personal journeys into student affairs and leadership, reflecting on formative experiences and the mentors who shaped their paths. Parnell describes her early work with the Florida A&M Upward Bound program and her strategic mindset, saying, “Even before I had the formal title of leader, I was always looking for strategies for how to connect things together.” Christakis recounted his start as a resident assistant and his progression through housing roles, noting, “I’m a true res-lifer . . . that was sort of where my journey started.”

They transition into a discussion on the current state and future of student affairs and the need to balance innovation and tradition. NASPA and student affairs leaders, Parnell says, must “bring people along” and ensure that strategic changes are inclusive and sustainable. Together, Drs. Parnell and Christakis envision NASPA as a personalized, collaborative, and advocacy-driven organization that remains highly responsive to the needs of student affairs professionals.

Sharing the Sunshine in Student Affairs: Amelia Parnell, PhD, and Michael Christakis, PhD

WittKieffer Impactful Leaders Podcast